Passion Defendu
by Ocean's 13th
Summary: Set after the Season Five episode, 'Unleashed.' Things are heating up between Angel and his newest love interest, Nina Ash, but as always, things are heating up in LA also. A powerful werewolf who once battled Angelus is creating cyber wolves hell bent


The night held peace for Angel. For centuries, he didn't know whether or not it was just because he was a vampire, or if it was something located deeper inside of him that made him feel this way. Nina, the werewolf/woman he'd been dating had told him that the concept of darkness was something that had been misunderstood by human beings for generations. According to her, the night held elements of security, safety. _Which tends to be proven when we vampires go up in flames in broad daylight, _Angel contemplated as he took a puff of his cigar. As he looked out onto LA, at the bustling street below, he felt safe. But at the same time threatened. For there was no-one that could really understand what life was like for him. The bitter taste of the cigar suddenly became overpowering, so he ashed it out. He looked out his window once again, spotting a couple kissing and canoodling on a street corner. He felt a sense of _passion defendu _arise within him, another term Nina had informed him of. Apparently it was French for 'Forbidden Passion.' It was a mixture of anger and lust which, in his experience, could make a dangerous combination. Especially where he and Nina were concerned…

"Ah. I see the great forehead is busily plotting his next corporate takeover." Angel spun around alarmed, then relaxed as he recognized the peroxide blonde hair gleaming in the well lit hallway of Wolfram and Hart. A hurt expression crossed Spike's face "What? Who were you expecting you great poof, Angelina Jolie?" Angel plopped into his chair, clearly exasperated at Spike's sudden arrival. Spike sensed the growing discomfort between them. He approached Angel's chair with all the delicacy and grace of an exotic dancer. "Oh Angel, I've missed you so much" he said in a growly, werewolf Nina voice. "Devour me Angel, before I devour you!" Angel pushed Spike away meekly, and put his feet up on the desk. "Uh oh. Look out LA, Captain Hairspray has just taken up the brood pose." Spike plopped into the chair opposite Angel and leaned forward, his expression suddenly becoming serious. "Okay mate, out with it. What's the matter?"

Angel's gaze didn't waver. "What do you care? I wouldn't give a rat's ass if you were like this, why do you wanna know?"

"Oh believe me mate, I couldn't give a toss about you. What I care about – rather, who – are the rest of LA's poor saps who're in more crap than usual than when you don't have one of your pity sessions. I've known you too long Angel, and I'll be damned if I'm going to watch innocent people suffer because you've decided to hold an impromptu casting session of Bold and the Beautiful. This whole thing we got going here is…"

"We? Let's get one thing straight Billy Idol, you may have had fans in Sunnydale, but you were over before you even got here. There is no we." Spike got out of the chair, shaking his head in frustration. "Alright Mr. CEO. Have it your way. But just remember what I said." _Thank God , I never thought I'd be so happy to see the back of that guy _Angel thought as he reached over to pick up the phone. He took his hand off the receiver as his eyes fell across a photo of himself and Nina, the beautiful blonde woman he'd saved not too long ago. Angel leaned back in his chair, allowing a brief smile to spread across his face. The photo was taken on a date the two had been on about two weeks ago, nothing fancy, just a burger and a movie. The burger had been Nina's idea, her rationale being that seeing as they were both meat lovers and couldn't dine on humans, they might as well shoot for the next best thing. The two of them surprisingly had a lot in common, and Angel hadn't been this excited about a girl since Cordelia. He paused for a moment as he recalled the memory of his deceased lover. He felt guilty in a way, but also liberated. The others had said it themselves, he had been acting a lot more like himself since he'd met her.


End file.
